On April 16, I had the pleasure of participating in the annual Fresh Fruit Festival Awards, held at The Metropolitan Room. The Fruits of Distinction Awards (or "Fruities" as they are lovingly known) honor outstanding artistic achievements by the festivals participants and to those who contribute to the LGBT and the Arts Community. I greeted attendees, and warmed the audience up with and a vocal rendition of "Cabaret" with the words changed slightly. aI then introduced the MC for the awards, Mr. Murray Hill. I am also on Fresh Fruit's Board of Directors, led by artistic director Carol Polcovar. Together we boldly promote a Queer multi-media, diverse festival, providing venues, networking, exposure, and Community that builds talent, knowledge and artistic expression. The festival has welcomed artists form all over the world as well as local performers from the NYC area. The Festival is also the most inclusive expression of LGBT arts ever held in the City of New York, with performers that have backgrounds and identities that include all racial, religious, n
ational, sexual orientations, and gender expressions celebrated on stage and in the audience.Honorees included Drag Divas Jacqueline Jonee and Millie Shyanitwright for their sublime job as hostess of The Art of Drag at The Cherry Lane Theater last July. Also honored were Le Petite Versailles, a drag dance troupe who perform in community gardens and gave a fairy like dance in the festival. During their dance at the Awards, they placed root vegetables near their crotches as phallic symbols. When they asked if anyone was hungry, Millie jumped out of her seat and took a suggestive bite out of a Freudian carrot. This made Carol Polcovar a bit worried about the Lesbian feminists in the audience, but all agreed that The Fruities are a delicious blend of seriousness and craziness. Other award recipients included Mariette Pathy Allen for her photography of Trans Ladies who came to the awards with Denise Leclair, the executive director of IFGE (International Foundation for Gender Education). Female to Male Transgender Performance Artist Scott Turner Schofield also garnished a Fruitie for his one-man show, Debutant Balls.
